Master Mathematics Teacher

You need more than just basic content knowledge or general pedagogy to master the art of teaching mathematics. The Master Mathematics Teacher specialization at the Simmons School is uniquely designed to:

Model effective mathematics instruction

Prepare teachers for effective differentiation with diverse learners

Instill creative problem solving

Incorporate useful classroom technologies

Translate evidence-based research into classroom teaching

Equip teachers for leadership and effective mathematics mentoring

The four-course sequence for the Master Mathematics Teacher specialization incorporates rich examples of advanced mathematics that inform EC-12 teaching of the subject. Students will learn to implement pedagogical tools, differentiation techniques, and best practices, as well as how to incorporate useful manipulatives and technology for use in the classroom.

After successful completion of the four-course sequence, students must take and pass the SMU Qualifying Exam before receiving approval to take the state examination. Teachers with three years teaching experience will be eligible to sit for the state of Texas Master Mathematics Teacher (EC-4, 4-8, or 8-12) certification examination.

Courses have been redesigned to meet the new state standards for the Master Mathematics Teacher certificate and were aligned with the competencies required for a Master Mathematics Teacher. The MMT program offers 12 hours of coursework:

Meet the MMT Faculty

Dr. Candace Walkington is Assistant Professor in the Department of Teaching and Learning in the Simmons School of Education and Human Development at SMU. She received her bachelor’s and master’s in mathematics from Texas A&M, with a focus on probability and statistics. She taught in 5th and 6th grade classrooms as an NSF-GK12 Fellow before receiving her doctorate in mathematics education from the University of Texas at Austin. She conducts research on how to create interventions that make mathematics more “personalized” to students’ experiences. These interventions involve connecting mathematics to students’ interest areas in topics like sports, music, and social networking, and involve having students physically experience and enact mathematical ideas. In the MMT program, she typically teaches the courses on Number and Operations and Algebraic Reasoning and Patterns. Her classes involve teachers engaging in discovery-based activities where they explore important mathematical ideas, and discuss how these ideas are relevant to their own classrooms.

Spring 2015:

Dr. Annie Garrison Wilhelm is Assistant Professor of Mathematics Education in the Department of Teaching and Learning at Southern Methodist University. She holds B.S. degrees in mathematics and computer science from Santa Clara University, an M.A. degree in mathematics from the University of Washington, and an M.Ed and a Ph.D. degree in curriculum and instructional leadership and mathematics education, respectively, from Vanderbilt University. Prior to attending Vanderbilt University, Dr. Wilhelm taught high school mathematics, ranging from Algebra 1 to AP Calculus, for four years in the Seattle area. Dr. Wilhelm's scholarly interests focus on mathematics teachers' knowledge and practice, supports for teacher development, and measuring complex practices. She is particularly interested in studying teachers' opportunities for on-the-job learning. In the MMT program, she typically teaches the courses on Measurement and Geometry and Probability and Statistics. Her classes focus on deepening content knowledge for teaching while broadening understandings of pedagogy and mentoring to prepare the MMT students to be teacher leaders in their schools.

Contact Information

Math Coursework

EDU 6379

Numerical Reasoning: Numbers and Operations

This course explores the properties of number systems that span mathematics instruction from elementary school to college, including whole numbers, integers, rational and irrational numbers, complex numbers, modular arithmetic, and set theory. The course is designed to both deepen and broaden mathematical knowledge of number, while simultaneously presenting effective and engaging strategies and lessons for teaching students of all ages about numbers and operations. It incorporates a historical perspective on the development of concepts of numeration and an examination of different counting systems. This course accentuates the development of EC-12 students’ mathematical understanding of number, their misconceptions, and important scaffolds teachers can provide. Components for developing effective mentoring relationships for mathematics teaching will also be discussed.